Faceplate for automobile bumpers



March 31. 1925.

E. F. BEACH FACEPLATE FOR AUTOMOBILE BUMPERS Filed July 19, 1924 2Sheets-Sheet l March 31. 1925. v1,532,028

EA? BEACH FACEPLATE FOR AUTOMOBILE BUMPERS Filed July 19, 1924 2Sheets-Sheet 2 SN 3 QN G D Nm x irq;

Patented Mar. 31, 1925.

UNITED sTA'rlis'v PATENT OFFICE.

FACEPLATE FOR AUTOMOBILE BUMPERS.

Application led J'uly 19, 1924. Serial No. 726,959.

In the accompanying drawings formingpart hereof:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of one form of the invention applied to abumper;

-line 9--9 of Fig. 7

Fig. 2 is a top edge view thereof Fig. 3 is a back view;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectionI on, the line 4.-4 of Fig. 1; v

Fig. 5 is a cross-section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3; Y.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal, longitud1nal section on the line 6 6 of F1g. 1;

Fig. 7 is a front elevation of another form; A

Fig. 8 is an enlarged, fragmentary back view thereof; and

Fig. 9 is an enlarged cross-section on the Reference wi to 6.

The base plate is composed of two plates or layers 2 and 3 ofcontrasting surfaces, superposed and permanently united' or joinedwith'each other. While the particular materials may be varied, a verygood effect, and the one particularly contemplated, is secured by usinga highly polished, non-rusting and non-tarnishing metal, such asduralumin, for the front plate or part, and a steel plate coated blockfor the under part, the coating protecting the under part from rust. Byforming the front part with a system of ornamental openings 4 throughwhich the contrasting under part is visible a very excellent appearancemay be obtained. The two thicknesses are united into an integralstructure by rivets 5, or otherwise. The upper and lower edges of thefront sheet may be turned rearward over and under the edges of the underpart as shown at 6 in Figs. 4 and 5, if it is desired to conceal theseedges.

The face plate is divided centrally and l first be made to Figs. 1

tions 7, and it has transversely into two halves 7, 7, each adapted tocover approximately one-half of the bumper bar, a, and a center-piece 8has been devised to cover their proximate inner ends. This center pieceor section is made up of two superposed, riveted-together plates 22 and23, after the manner of the main seca rearwardly projecting bolt or stud9 passing through a hole made in the bumper bar and receiving a nut 10,whereby the center-piece is anchored. The center-piece preferably alsocarries a clamp plate 11 at the back, pierced by the stud 9, and byother studs 12 projecting rearward from the center piece above and belowthe bumper bar, the latter studs tional clamping nuts 13.

The two main sections 7 likewise ca concealed clamp plates 110 at theback, pierced above .and below thev bumper bar, which. they embrace, topass over studs 120 projecting rearward from the under plate parts 3.Nuts 130 on these studs clam the clamp plates a ainst the bumper bar anhold the sections o the face plate firmly in place.

The clamps 11 and 110 may have ears 14, as shown, bent forward tooverlie and underlie the upper and lower edges of the bumper bar. Bysubstituting different clamps the face plate can Vbe applied to bumpersof different styles and widths.

The form shown in Figs. 7 to 9 comprises parts similar in constructionand relation to those of the other form and designated by like referencecharacters with supercharacter a. The openings 4a are shown of differentform, but neither form of ornamental designs, as such, is claimedherein. A two-layer face plate, the outer part of which is formed withnumerous, comparatively small openings, with integral portions of themetal part extending between the openings, as illustrated in the twoforms has manifest advantages in respect to lightness and strength.

The center piece 8a of this form is considerably wider in thelongitudinal direction than the center piece 8, and permits of a rangeof longitudinal adjustment of the two main sections 7a to lit bumperbars of different lengths. The central anchoring lstud 9a passes throughthe bumper-bar and receives a nut 10a. ther studs 12a projectf ingrearward from the center piece pass through longitudinal adjustmentslots l5 in receiving addithe proximate portions of the sections 7?which are-covered by the center piece, and through clamp plates lla,which are clamped against the bumper bar by nuts l3. The sections 7carry other clamp plates 110"1 on studs 120".

Various other changes in form and detail are within the scope of theinvention. By slight changes in the clamps or in the bolt positions thedevice can be applied to a variety of bumpers. i do not necessarilylimit myself to a plurality of sections. Ihe device itself may also bemade 1n various sizes and styles. It can be applied to either new or oldbumpers. The drawings show a. wide face plate on a plain, narrow bumperof inexpensive character, converting it at moderate cost into a broadbumper of a highly ornamental nature which it would be inipractieable toobtain in the bumper itself. The additional thicknesses of metal, andthe increased depth, likewise add greatly to the effectiveness of thebumper in event of collision. The face plate, or its sections,

made of two thicknesses of metal permanently joined or united as anintegral unit or structure gives a high degree of strength for theamount of metal employed, because of the mutual support of the layers;and a large part of the area of the outer part can be open withoutsacrifice of strength. In a structure to be mounted on a bumperoccupying an overhanging position atv the eX- treme end of a roadvehicle, Where the effeet of shocks and vibration is most pronounced, itis, on the one hand, advisable not to add greatly to the load to besupported from the bumper brackets, while, on the other hand, the devicemust be strong enough in itself to withstand racking and minor contacts.Furthermore, the provision of two extra layers covering substantiallythe whole front of the bumper necessarily contributes to the cushionedresistance of the bumper to impact, even though the layers becomparatively light. The face plate is readily removable for repair orreplacement in event of injury; and a substantial advantage is that itAprovides an anti-rusting cover for the bumper, which ordinarily becomesunsightly due to this cause after it has been on the car for a time, afact which causes some automobile owners to forego the protection. It isone of the purposes of the invention to promote the use of bumpers.

lVhat I claim as new is:

l. A face plate for automobile bumpers made up of two immediatelysuperposed contrasting plates united together to form an integralstructure of two thicknesses of metal and having means for attachment asa cover to a bumper bar, the front part of the composite plate havingnumerous comparatively small openings through which the under part orplate is visible, with integral portions of said front part extendingbetween the openings.

2. A face plate for automobile bumpers comprising two halves orsections, each made up of two superposed contrasting plates, theI outerpart or plate having openings revealing the under part, clamps forsecuring the sections to a bumper bar, and a center piece covering theinner ends of the two halves or sections.

A face plate for automobile bumpers comprising two halves or sections,each made up of two superposed contrasting plates, the outer part orplate having openings revealing the under part, clamps for securing thesections to a bumper bar, and a center piece covering the inner ends ofthe two halves or sections, said center piece having means for anchoringit to the bumper bar.

4. A face plate cover for automobile bumpers composed of two superposedcontrasting parts joined to form an integral structure of twothicknesses of metal, with means for attaching this structure as a coverto a bumper bar, the front part of the double plate having openings withintegral portions of said front part extending between the openings,substantially as set forth.

5. An anti-rusting front cover plate for automobile bumpers composed ofsuperposed contrasting parts or plates forming a double thickness coverfor substantially the whole front of a bumper bar, with means forattaching the same to the bar, substantially as set forth.

6. A face-plate cover for automobile bumpers comprising two halves orsections each made up of two contrasting plates joined to form anintegral unit, and a center piece or section, with means for attachingthe sections to a bumper bar, substantially as set forth.

7. A face-plate cover for automobile bumpers comprising two lateralhalves or sec-tions and a center piece or section adapted to cove-r theinner ends of the lateral sections, with means for attaching thesections to a bumper bar, substantially as set forth.

8. A face-plate cover for automobile bumpers made up in two thicknessesof superposed contrasting plates or layers, with the outer layer of openconstruction, the face plate thus constituted being in sectionsadjustable to cover substantially the Whole front of a bumper bar,substantially as set forth.

9. In combination with a transverse automobile bumper bar, a cover plateclamped to said bar covering substantially its whole front, said coverplate comprising a solid plate of rustless metal of open constructionrevealing a contrasting protected surface beneath.

10. A face-plate made to cover an autothe front part of the compositeplate having mobile bumper bar, said plate being made numerouscomparatively small openings, up of two superposed thicknesses of metal,with integral portions of said front part the outer thickness being asolid plate of extending between the openings, through 15 non-rustingmetal of open construction rewhich openings the under part is visible,the

vealing the under part, said under part havcomposite face plate thusconstituted coming a protective coating. prising two relativelyadjustable half see- 11. A face plate for automobile bumpers tions tocover the whole length of a bumper made up of 'two immediatelysuperposed bar, together with means for clamping the 20 10 contrastingplates united together as an in- Sections to the bumper bar.

tegral structure of two thicknesses of metal, EDWARD P. BEACH.

